Holguinism: the hunt for the perfect image There’s a very good reason behind Colombian photographer Ivan Lopez’s decision to use Holguinism as a fictional artist name. Located in Valle de Cauca, Holguin is a pueblo with no stop lights, two cantinas, one church and one brothel; this town is the birthplace of the artist—and that of many generations before him. Holguinism defines life as living art, the world a blank canvas. “If we break the routine of our everyday lives,” he says, “this world is truly a working canvas and we deserve to paint our own masterpieces.” His passion for photography started in childhood, when he discovered an utter joy documenting his surroundings with a camera. In the early 90’s, the advent of the digital camera coincided with his interest in photographing the alternative/punk scene. By 2006, his life almost revolved exclusively around photography; he traveled through Europe (the Netherlands, France, Spain, Switzerland, and Italy) and South America.